Life at No 27 - growing for wellbeing

Life at No.27 is a leading horticultural therapy and mental health counselling provider run as a social enterprise, built with passion at its core and designed to improve lives. The organisation uses nature, conversation and human connection to support anyone experiencing poor mental health, low confidence, self-esteem, and isolation.

Since our involvement with the Grow, Cook, Share Powys Network has now come to a close, we are keen to find out more about the opportunities in Powys for therapeutic gardening so that we can promote them far and wide. So we got in touch.

Annabelle Padwick, the founder, was more than happy to tell us about Life at No.27.

Why did you set up Life at No. 27? And what is the story behind the name?

I set up the organisation following my own experience with mental ill health and recovery, and the observation that the two things which helped me were private mental health psychotherapy and me getting my allotment. I wanted to create a safe space for others that combined these two therapeutic opportunities into one unique approach that was accessible for everyone. A safe space to talk, explore thoughts and feelings including past trauma, process and heal, alongside a practical outdoor environment to learn new skills, release energy safely, look to the future and believe in myself and my ability with practical tangible evidence.

The name, Life at No.27, came in 2015, when I started a blog about my own allotment and mental health journey. I didn’t want the blog to say mental health or gardening as I didn’t want the title to automatically say what it was about, other than my life. I wanted other people to want to read it. My original personal allotment plot number was 27, and I was also 27 when I started the blog.

Since then, the name has stayed the same and my client allotmenteers have said they like it, especially as it doesn’t say what it is. It gives them more choice on how much they want to tell others about the service.

Tell us briefly about the organisation’s main activities now

We deliver weekly adult group and 1-1 sessions for all ages over 18, where we offer local people their own Life at No.27 allotment, or access to a Life at No.27 therapy garden for a year, as well a mental health counsellor and therapeutic horticulturalist to support them mentally and practically with learning to grow produce. This is at our therapy garden in Craig y Nos Country Park in South Powys. These spaces are free with GP, psychiatrist or social worker referral. We also welcome self-referrals.

We also offer fun and relaxing weekly after school club sessions for children aged five years old and above, as well as 1-1 sessions, school intervention programmes and holiday activity clubs. All children are welcome, but the sessions are designed for children struggling with anxiety, low confidence, difficulty understanding and managing emotions and/or have social and emotional needs.

Why the move to Wales?

We moved to Wales personally, and this area in particular, because we love it and wanted to be closer to where my husband was born and his family are, near Swansea and Carmarthenshire.

The strapline at Life at No.27 is “It’s not what you grow, it’s how YOU grow!” Tell us more

It fundamentally means that it doesn’t matter what you choose to grow, whether that’s flowers, carrots, pumpkins or much bigger life ambitions. We want to support you every step of the way and how you grow as a person in the process is what is important.

What is it about being outdoors, in Nature, that you think has such an impact on positive mental health?

I think it’s the combination of being in nature, learning new skills and having a safe, confidential space to talk and explore feelings that can help create positive mental health.

In terms of being in nature specifically, it’s the most natural and free therapeutic resource for us all. If we slow down and pay attention, nature teaches about patience, resilience, the importance of being present in the moment and the enhanced satisfaction and joy we feel in life when we do slow down and feel every moment. It also teaches us exactly what we need to thrive as well. I always say to people if you forget how to look after yourself, just think about what a plant needs, and if you forget how to look after a plant, think about what you need - it’s the exact same things. Yet at the time it shows our uniqueness, we all have the same but also different needs. We all need food, love, sunshine, nurturing, space to grow, minimal enforced disruption, air, and patience – just in different quantities and ways, and plants are the same.

Layer this with the practical elements of getting our hands in the soil and the sensory play experience of feeling, smelling and seeing different plants. We can then lose ourselves in the moment; the fragrances, the noises of grasses and birds, the textures of bark, furry petals or the mindful process of many gardening activities.

You have a number of projects running at Life at No.27. Tell us more

We have our beautiful therapy garden in Craig-y-Nos, where we offer a range of services for those experiencing mental ill health, isolation, anxiety, low confidence and/or self-esteem.

Here we deliver group adult sessions for up to 6 people on Friday mornings, from 10 – 12. These sessions are part of our year long programme mentioned earlier and are free with referral. We come together relax, have a cuppa or two, chat and garden together in our beautiful surroundings. There is no pressure to chat or share with others unless you want to, as I mentioned earlier, it’s all about coming, for yourself, and giving it a go.

We also offer 1-1 sessions for adults here which are available on request to suit their availability.

Here in Craig-y-Nos, we also offer two-hour adult Seed Sowing and Gardening through the Year workshops every month on Friday afternoons for anyone who just wants to come garden aka play, have a cuppa and relax with others. These sessions are between £15 - £20, with all proceeds going towards our free mental health support services.

How did you get to work with the Prince and Princess of Wales and how’s that going?

We were very fortunate that the team from their charity, The Royal Foundation, contacted us after seeing a recent Crowdfunder fundraising campaign we set up for here in Wales, and were really interested in what we do. Following some conversations, the Prince and Princess of Wales were keen to meet with me, help us grow in the area, build more sites and be able to offer our unique programmes to more people. So, at the beginning of this year they announced they wanted to partner with us and start to create a legacy project, that will hopefully mean that they and their team will be on hand for support or guidance when we need it.

It’s still early days regarding their support, but I really hope it helps us achieve our vision.

Tell us more about your role as an Advisor to the House of Lords

Yes, this was a wonderful surprise invitation and surreal experience. In June this year, I was invited by the Horticultural Sector Committee to advise and give oral evidence regarding the current landscape of horticulture and mental health. This is part of a horticulture wide industry enquiry and report they are carrying out this year, to look at what is happening on the ground and what legislations need to change in the future in order for the industry to remain sustainable and bright.

I spoke about the work we do, the challenges we face, how social prescribing is currently working for us and what legislations we need urgently for safe, professional care. I also shared my experience and knowledge regarding the challenges within the media’s representation of gardening, and the compelling differences between the mental health of hobby gardeners and those who work as professional gardeners, landscapers or large-scale growers.

Are school sessions available in Powys schools now, and what happens at those?

Absolutely! They are available for primary and secondary age school children, across the area.

Our alternative education school programmes for children are designed specifically for those who are struggling with the mainstream school environment. The 6 – 12 week, or ongoing two hour weekly sessions, give selected individuals an opportunity to gain more time, space and attention away from the distractions of the classroom. Pupils who benefit massively from these sessions are those struggling with mental health illnesses, difficult home situations, anxiety and low confidence, including those already with a Child & Adolescent Mental Health team and on the SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) register with SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health) needs.

Feedback from students:

“It’s been great! It’s really boosted my confidence.”

“I really enjoyed the programme and I recommend it to anyone else as it’s really fun and a good opportunity to make cool things and meet new people.”

“It has helped me come out of my shell and have more confidence. I have made a new friend and it has helped me deal with my feelings.”

What are the main challenges of your role?

Funding, accessibility and recruiting currently, and trying to work with and juggle all those challenges at the same time is probably a good summary.

Accessibility feels challenging right now for us, especially navigating how to engage with other services locally and GP practices who can refer local people to our services. So, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at Life at No.27

It has to be helping children understand and express their emotions freely and safely. Whether that’s talking, running, sitting quietly and noticing wildlife or covering themselves head to toe in soil. Helping teenagers release the pressures and frustrations they feel, so that they can be a child again for the time they are with me, has to be up there with one of the most rewarding parts of our work too.

I will never forget seeing one of our past adult allotmenteers taking home a full family meal worth of home grown produce they had grown with no previous experience and their pride when they cooked and served it for their wife and two children.

I could keep going, but I guess for me the most rewarding work is when I see people being able to be fully themselves, with no restrictions or societal pressures impacting how they feel and behave. As well as teaching people new practical and emotional skills that really help them grow in confidence and self-belief. Those smiles, release in their eyes, the pride in their stance and weight off their shoulders.

“Meeting Annabelle and joining the Life at No.27 programme changed the course of my life, and I will forever be grateful for her and her team for being there for me when I felt unheard and alone. Life at No.27 was pivotal for me. I have a long way to go on my mental health journey, but knowing she will always be there if I ever needed her again, is comfort enough to try to work through life’s challenges.”

You can read their full testimonial here.

When you’re not working how do you enjoy spending your time?

I love anything creative, so painting, drawing and printmaking in my studio, and I spend a lot of my spare time growing my own produce and currently getting ready to welcome our own sheep. 

Many thanks to Annabelle for telling us all about Life at No.27. 

If you would like to find out more, check out the website or contact Annabelle by emailing: annabelle@lifeatno27.com

Green Minds Ecotherapy Project - South Powys

by guest author Jess Tanner

Green Minds is Brecon & District Mind's new Ecotherapy project which launched this winter. As a fledgling project we are in the process of developing a range of nature-based initiatives that are rich in social and therapeutic value, and aim to reduce social isolation and increase the quality of life for our group members and the local community.

Our project's aim is to help our members to build a stronger connection and sense of belonging to the local environment by exploring the local landscape through mindfulness and nature-connection walks. The project will also help people to create new links within the local area through volunteering roles, and provide opportunities for our members to build self-confidence, self-reliance and new skills.

Our activities are currently taking place at Brecon Cathedral where our project is working towards the design and development of more wildlife friendly planting within the garden areas of the cathedral grounds. We have also started work within a walled garden in Brecon this month, preparing the polytunnel for the seed sowing ahead.

We also have lots of woodland mindfulness walks and craft activities coming up over the next few months. These include willow weaving workshops led by a professional basket maker as well as a bird box making session as part of February's national bird box making month.

We are now open to receive new referrals from within the community for those that feel being part of the Green Minds project will be of benefit to them. Please get in touch for more details.

When asked what mattered most to our members after the Green Minds' sessions their responses were:

“Working with other people and being able to see the end result. I feel less worried, being outside helps clear your mind.” - Sarah

“I felt uplifted when we took a step back and looked at the results of our graft. It's good to interact with others and be outside doing something good.” - Rich

Jess Tanner - Project lead biography

As well as working for Brecon & District Mind as a Community Wellbeing Support Worker, Jess leads the new Green Minds Ecotherapy Project, delivering horticultural therapy and community gardening activities for adults. 

Her background includes working within the creative arts therapies, outdoor education and life long learning. Jess undertook her horticultural training over a one year WRAGS placement (Women retraining as a gardener scheme) in the Black Mountains and also holds an Award in Social & Therapeutic Horticulture with Thrive. 

Jess is passionate about facilitating opportunities that help people to access gardens and green spaces and build stronger relationships with the local area and surrounding landscapes.

Emma Charles - Co-project lead biography

Emma is a Nature Based Facilitator offering ecotherapy and social and therapeutic horticulture in and around the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. 

Her background is in social care provision, having worked in the third sector for over 10 years. Emma has recently joined the Green Minds Ecotherapy Project and her hope is to raise awareness of the importance of the natural world on our mental and physical wellbeing, and to bring people into a closer relationship with their natural selves whilst cultivating a deeper sense of appreciation for the beautiful environment they live in here in the Brecon Beacons.

You can find out more about the Green Minds Ecotherapy Project by contacting Jess Tanner at Brecon & District Mind, email: Jess.T@breconmind.org.uk or ring 01874 611529. Jess works Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Therapeutic gardening in Machynlleth

At the start of a new gardening year we talk to Kate Doubleday, Garden Volunteer Co-ordinator at Gerddi Bro Dyfi Gardens in North Powys. Kate tells us more about this therapeutic open space for people which is also beneficial to local wildlife.

What is the aim of the project?

Gerddi Bro Ddyfi is an organic wildlife community garden in the heart of Machynlleth. It is a people-led project, where the volunteers can choose their own activity. The aim is to create a nurturing, peaceful environment where everyone can feel supported and gain a sense of belonging. Our volunteer days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10.30am - 4pm. We provide refreshments and have a volunteer shelter where people can take refuge in the rain. Throughout the year we also offer a range of one day activity workshops in scything, willow weaving, bird watching, and green woodworking for example.

Tell us more about your role at Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens?

My role is mainly to facilitate a group of volunteers to enjoy and explore the garden. I work with a dedicated volunteer committee, and none of it would happen without their efforts.

My role is multi-faceted, and I go from gardening with the volunteers to liaising with Community Psychiatric Nurses to sitting in fundraising meetings.

I also work with the community nursery group doing wild play and environmental education with Early Years, and I’ve worked with youth clubs, doing outdoor work and graffiti projects with young people. The youth club was instrumental in the design aspect of the garden in the early days.

How long have you worked there and what drew you to the role?

I’ve worked at the gardens since 2008. Myself and a colleague, Leigh Munton, had both previously worked in therapeutic gardening roles and saw a need for this in Machynlleth. We ran short horticultural courses in the community and realised that when people had finished these one-off courses there was no way for people to carry on gardening in a social way.

Having worked at the Martineau Gardens in Birmingham previously I’d seen the value of a permanent therapeutic garden and how much this can provide a community. I’d experienced the incredible power gardening has on our wellbeing.

Tell us about the volunteers at the gardens

They’re fantastic! The garden wouldn’t be what it is without our volunteers, both on the ground and on the committee. We have a dedicated core group, who are all ages and from a variety of backgrounds, who turn up whatever the weather and maintain the garden for the community. Some of them have been coming for years.

What kind of work do they get involved with?

We do a range of activities, from weeding to woodwork, to planting flowers to attract wildlife to maintaining the vegetable beds.

How does a typical day pan out?

The day always starts with a cup of tea and a catch-up, and often some cake too! There’s usually a list of things that need doing, and this depends very much on the season, but people lead their own activities, and they can do as little or as much as they want. You can work alone or in a team – people have their own preferences.

Things always get exciting when we’re preparing for an event. It’s good to have something to work towards.

Who can volunteer to join the project?

Gerddi Bro Ddyfi is open to anyone from the community. We have good wheelchair access and hope to be as inclusive as possible. We’re particularly open to people who may feel excluded or who are having challenging life experiences.

What kind of support do you offer to the volunteers?

I see myself as a facilitator to help people come together in a beautiful space to socialise and connect with one another, and with nature. I aim to always provide a listening ear too. In some cases I signpost people to receive further support.

How does volunteering in a garden environment impact on people’s mental health?

Research shows that the act of looking after plants, as well as being active outdoors, is beneficial for a person’s mental health.

Horticulture as a therapy differs from other therapies in that it works with living entities which have their own needs and requirements. Through nurturing these entities, people become involved in something outside of themselves and this process can help them feel less isolated and more connected with the social and natural world, as well as developing a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Volunteers also interact with visitors from the community and this is clearly beneficial for their confidence, especially if they feel stigmatised.

Tell us how your work fits in with other voluntary sector groups

We work closely with the volunteer bureau, Community Action Machynlleth & District (CAMAD), also based in Machynlleth, which often sends volunteers our way. We’ve recently been building bridges with Ponthafren Association in Newtown, and we’ve done joint events with Edible Mach, Bro Ddyfi Advice Centre, and Mid Wales Housing, under the banner Bwyd Dyfi Partnership.

What are the main challenges of your role?

Fundraising, without a doubt, is the biggest challenge. It’s very difficult to raise funds alongside the work I do on the ground, and obviously with austerity policies things are getting harder. Working with volunteers is extremely rewarding, although sometimes it’s challenging, and I’m learning all the time.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at the Gardens

I’ve found it very rewarding to be involved in providing access for people with physical disabilities, enabling them to garden and to take pleasure from outdoor work. The greatest reward is to see the volunteers connecting and growing to support one another, so that my role becomes marginal. Some of them become very close friends. Also it makes me happy to see volunteers go on to find jobs afterwards, with greater confidence, having used the gardens as a stepping stone. Having been a volunteer myself in Birmingham during a difficult time in my life, it gives me pleasure to be able to give something back.

If you would like to get involved at Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens contact Kate on 07941 908 891 or check out the website.